World clock



Oct. 3, 1961 1. SMITH 3,002,337

WORLD CLOCK Filed Aug. 8, 1957 mvrewnro INVENTOR. u lPV/IVG ym/2w atent Patented Oct. 3, 1961 3,002,337 WORLD CLOCK Irving Smith, Flushing, N.Y. Arrow Art Finishers,

1201 Evergreen Ave., Bronx 72, N.Y.)

Filed Aug. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 677,006 2 Claims. (CI. 58-44) This invention relates to a clock designed to simultaneously give the time at a number of particular geographic locations in the world.

As is well known, the world is divided into twentyfour consecutive time zones, each differing in time from ad acent zones by one hour. By convention the time at all points within each zone usually is the same; therefore, the time at any location in a given time zone customarily will differ from that at any location in any other given zone by the same amount and always by a whole number multiple of one hour, e.g., one hour, two hours, three hours, etc., depending on the location of the time zones with respect to each other. Actually, however, this is not always the case because in certain geographic locations, various areas such as entire States, cities or countries, do not observe the aforesaid time, but by law, custom or for some other reason depart by a specific amount from the time observed by convention which hereinafter will be referred to as convention time. Thus, for example, cities such as Bombay, India, Caracas, Venezuela, and many others run; on the half hour with respect to convention time, and the entire State of Texas in the United States is by law one hour behind the convention timefor its time zone; In addition, the various places at which the time is to;be told in a given time zone are located different distancesfrom the closest adacent geographic time boundaries between the zones so that an indication of time for one city will not necessarily be properly located for another city even if both cities observe convention time or depart therefrom by the same amount or have the sametime. Because of the above referred to deviations,.conventional world clocks have simply endeavored to show simultaneously the time for entire given time zones, no attempt being made to show the actual time on a map in specific places.

It is a principal object of the instant invention to provide a world clock which will simultaneously correctly show the actual times at various specific locations on a map throughout the world regardless of the aforementioned deviations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character described which has relatively few parts and is durable and long lasting.

Other objects of the invention in part will be evident and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the device hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a world clock constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, central, longitudinal sectional view of the clock shown in FIG. 1, the same being taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along th line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary partially broken away developed view of the clock;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary developed view of one of the lines of time indicia shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4 and illustrating an index marking.

Generally, the objects of the invention are carried out by providing a first hollow member carrying a map of the world including representations of the principal land and water areas thereof and specific geographic designations. Said member includes viewing portions disposed at various specific locations such as major cities or countries. A second member carrying plural lines of time indicia on a surface thereof is disposed with a substantial portion of said surface located immediately adjacent said first member, and with the indicia carried by said second member visible through said viewing portions of said first memher.

One of the members is movable with respect to the other, the former being arranged so as to be moved by the mechanism of a twenty-four hour clock.

The lines of time indicia are disposed parallel to the direction of movement of the movable member. Each line is registered with at least one different viewing portion, and the time indicia on each line are so interrelated with the time indicia on each other line that the times indicated at the specific locations seen through said viewing portions are synchronized to show simultaneously the actual time at each said location regardless of whether the convention time is followed or not and regardless of whether the distance of said locations from their respective closest adjacent geographic time boundaries is the same.

It is desired to point out that the inventioncould be embodied in any type of twenty-four hour clock mechanism or map, i.e., the clock mechanism can be mechanical or electric and the map can be spherical, cylindrical or flat. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and described below, an electric clock mechanism is employed in conjunction with a cylindrical map.

In addition, the invention is not confined to the specific actual times observed in the world today and can be adapted to any actual times at designated places. Even a change in the number or location of the twenty-four time zones does not affect the instant invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 denotes a world clock constructed in accordance with the instant invention. Said clock comprises an open bottom first hollow cylindrical member 12 which is closed by a top 14. Said member is fabricated from any light durable material, such, for example, as sheet metal, plastic or cardboard. In the embodiment shown, a transparent water-white plastic such as cellulose acetate is employed and is imprinted on the external surface thereof with a map of the world including representations of the principal land and water areas and specific geographic locations such as countries, cities, towns etc. A plurality of clear viewing portions 16 is provided on said surface at specific geographic locations. Except for the aforesaid viewing portions, the first member is rendered translucent or substantially opaque by the map. The viewing portions can, of course, constitute openings in the member, this being a desirable structure where cardboard is employed as the material of which the member is made.

The degree of detail of the map is a matter of choice; however, it is desirable that at least several different specific major territorial designations be shown.

A second hollow cylindrical member 18, having a smaller diameter than that of the first member, is co-axially received within the first member adjacent the inside surface thereof but without touching the same. Said secnd member-is closed by a top and bottom 22 and can be fabricated from any suitable material such as that from which the first member is made and in the present embodiment is made-of a transparent water-White plastic such as cellulose acetate. A plurality of lines 24 of substantially opaque time indicia is printed on the external surface of the memberlS, each linebeing divided into twenty-four equal parts by hour indicia 26' which are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 so as to provide two consecutive series, of hour indicia each running from 1 to l2. Alternatively, the--indicia 26can be numbered consecutively from 1 to 24. Midway between adjacent hour indicia half hour indicia 28 are printed. Said half hour indicia include the-affiliated hour designation as, for example, 8:30, 12:30, etc. The provision of half hour indicia including thewhour designation permits the shortening of the lengths ofthe-viewing portions and thus adds to the neatness and attractiveness of the world clock as a whole. Were the hour designations not present, it would be necessary that the viewing portions be long enough so that the hour indicia applicable to the half hour. indicia would 'be visible when the time being told is at the half hour.

Besides the hour andhalf hour indicia there are provided five-minuteindicia 30. The smaller sub-divisions such as five minute indicia can be omitted if the size of the map makes this desirable for the sake of clarity as may be the case with small maps; with very large maps, on the other hand, minute indicia'could be included without sacrificing clarity.

Thexindicia can be,dots,'-lines,.etc., or combinations thereof.- In the embodimentof the invention shown, the indicia comprise vertical lines.-

To-indicate day andnight-timaa portion of each line of time indicia is provided with a black background. This-background-extends,- forrexample, from the number "7 of one sericsrt-hrough the number 7'of the other series and is not-present :between the number 8 of the last-mentioned seriesand the number 6 of the first-mentioned series The dark sectiondesignates-the night time hours, theligh-t sectionde'signating the day time hours.

If desired, the notations --a.m.,- 9pm.,- M7. (midnight) and N (noon) can be employed in conjunction with the hour andhalf hour time indicia.

Pursuant to the invention, the lines of time indicia are disposed parallelrto thedirection of movement thereof with. the second member. Specifically, they are located concentrically about the axisof rotation of theisecond member, and each line is registered with at least one viewing portion of the first member.

In accordance with the invention, heavy opaque vertical index lines 32, are imprinted on the first member at each viewing portion.- Except in a particular situation to be discussed hereinafter, said index lines are located centrally of the viewing portions. While one purpose of the index lines is to facilitate reading of the time, they have another and very important purpose which will be discussed hereinafter.

If all locations on the map at which the time is to be seen (through the viewing portions) observed convention time and were equally spaced from their respective closest adjacent geographic time boundaries, the lines of indicia would be aligned with each other numberwise, and it would simply be necessary to locate them vertically in such position that each would be visible through certain viewing portions. However, said geographic designations do not always observe convention time and hardly ever are spaced equal distances from the closest adjacent geographic time boundaries, said designations being haphazardly located with respect to the time boundaries. As a result, in order to show the time on the map for a specific location (and not just the time for the appropriate time zone in which the location occurs or show the time for the location butnot on the map itself where it actually is situated),-most of the indicia have to be critically disaligned. This can best be seen in FIG. 4. Of course, when it happens that locations provided with viewing portions observe convention time or deviate from the same by identical amountsand also are situated equal distances fro-m their respective closest adjacent geographic time boundaries, the lines of time indicia for the-viewing portions provided for such locations will be aligned.

In accordance .with the foregoing, the time indicia of each line are so interrelated with those of each other line that the time visible through any given viewing portion will be correctly synchronized with the times visible through all of the other viewing portions. To do this, it is necessary to ascertain the difference in time between the various locations at which viewing portions are present. For example, when it is 6:00 pm. in New York City it is 8:00 pm. in Rio de Janeiro. Accordingly, the line of time indicia 34 registered with the viewing portion 36 at Rio de Ianeiro on the map will be so aligned with respect to the line 38 registered with the viewing portion 40 situated at New York City on the map that the 8:00 pm. hour indicium for Rio de Janeiro appears at the index line of the Rio de Janeiro viewing portion when the 6:00 pm. indicium appears at the index line of the New York City viewing portion. In this case, although both cities observe convention time, the lines of time indicia are disaligned because the cities are not located equal distances fromtheir respective closest adjacent geographic time boundaries As another example, it is 5 :00 pm. in Texas when it is 6:00 p.m. in New York. Thus, the line of time indicia registered with the viewing portion at Texas on the map must be so located with respect to the line of time indicia for New York City that 5:00 pm. will show at the Texas viewing portion when 6:00 pm. shows at the New York City viewing portion. In this case, the disalignment of time indicia compensates not only for the unequal distances of the cities from the time boundaries but also for the fact that by statute Texas does not follow convention time and differs from the same by one hour.

To take another example: when it is 6:00 pm. in New York City it is 4:30 am. in Bombay, India. Thus, the Bombay line of time indicia must be so related in position to the New York City line that when 6 :00 pm. shows at the New York City viewing portion, 4:30 a.rn., which will be the 4:30 indicium having a dark background, will show at the Bombay viewing portion. The disalignment is caused by the same factors as referred to in the case of Texas except that Bombay departs from convention time by an amount putting it on the half hour with respect to convention time. Also, at some hours it is night time in Bombay when it is day time in New York City, and vice versa.

It is desired to point out that even when the time is the same for two locations having viewing portions, as, for example, New York City and Philadelphia which are both in the same time zone and follow convention time, the lines of time indicia for such cities will be disaligned because of the unequal distances of such cities from the time boundaries.

With knowledge of the simultaneous times at all of the geographic designations on the map provided with viewing portions, it is possible to properly synchronize all of the lines of time indicia so that the proper time for each such designation will be shown simultaneously on the map at said designation and at all times of day and night. For example, all of the lines can be properly interrelated with reference to a given time used as a standard for the purposes of synchronization. A convenient way to do this is to ascertain the times at the various designations having viewing portions when it is 12:00 noon at New York City. The various lines are then so located that when 12:00 noon shows at the New York City viewing portion, the proper times show at every other viewing portion.

It should be noted that the instant world clock can be adapted to changes in time at various locations having viewing portions by properly locating the lines of time indicia registered with such viewing portions.

The index lines 32 permit a single line of time indicia to be registered with and serve for more than one viewing portion. Thus, if two or more locations at which it is desired that the time be told are located on the map at the same latitude, the same line of time indicia can be used for the viewing portions associated therewith provided that the locations are on convention time or deviate there from by the same amount and provided further that their distances from their respective closest adjacent geographic time boundaries do not diflFer by too much. Under the foregoing conditions, the line of time indicia is synchronized for one viewing portion so that the correct time is shown at the index line disposed at the center thereof. At the other viewing portion, the correct time will not appear at the center unless the location associated therewith happens to be situated the same distance from its closest adjacent geographic time boundary as is the location associated with said first-mentioned viewing portion. Ordinarily, the correct time will appear at the left or right of the center of said second-mentioned viewing portion de pending on whether the location associated therewith is further away from or nearer to its said time boundary than is the location associated with the first-mentioned viewing portion. To show the correct time at said secondmentioned viewing portion, the index line therefor is located at the place where the correct time indicium appears. The index line of the second-mentioned viewing portion, in other words, is located a distance from the closest associated geographic time boundary the same as that between the centrally located index line of the first-mentioned viewing portion and its closest associated adjacent geographic time boundary. This can best be seen in FIG. 4 with reference to New York City, New York and Chicago, Illinois, which occur on the same latitude.

The first member is mounted in any conventional manner on a short cylindrical base 42 fabricated from any light strong material, such as cardboard, plastic or metal. In the embodiment shown the base is made of a plastic, such, for example, as Bakelite. The base includes an inset annular seat 44 adjacent the top thereof on which the first member rests, being secured thereto by friction, glue or in any other conventional manner.

The base houses an electric clock 45 which is driven by the usual synchronous electric motor employed in electric clocks. A drive shaft 46 extends from the motor and projects above the base. Said shaft is not co-axial with the base, and the projecting portion thereof includes gear teeth. The second member is secured at the bottom to a hollow drive sleeve 48 rotatable on a stationary shaft 50 on the base and extending above the latter. A gear 52 fixed on the sleeve 48 above the base meshes with the toothed end of the shaft 46. The clock 45 together with the kinematic train terminating at the gear 52 constitute a twenty-four hour clock mechanism. The connection between the gear 52 and the sleeve 48 is of the conventional friction clutch type so that the clock can be set. The sleeve 48 is co-axial with the base, and the second member is co-axially mounted on said sleeve.

If desired, interior illumination of said world clock is provided. For this purpose an Edison socket 54 is carried at the top of the shaft 50. Lead wires run through the shaft to energize a bulb 56 screwed on the socket. The light makes the time indicia clearly visible through the viewing portions. Moreover, the light passing through the wall of the second member and through the top 20 thereof which is made transparent for this purpose illuminates the map on the first member. The bottom 22 of the second member may be made opaque to prevent any leakage of light adjacent the top of the base.

A setting mechanism is provided at the top of the device. Said mechanism comprises a shaft 58 non-rotatably secured to the top 20 of the second member and extending through and rotatable in a bearing 60 in the top 14 of the first member. Said shaft projects a short distance above the top of the second member, and gripping means such as a ball 62 is fixed to the projecting portion of said shaft. The ball is aligned with the sleeve 48. The second member is rotated by the ball from the outside of the world clock to set the same.

It thus will be seen that there is provided a device which achieves the several objects of the invention and is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth above, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove described and shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

1. A clock comprising a member having a broad exterior surface and a broad interior surface, a map on said exterior surface, said map including representations of principal land and water areas and specific geographic designations denoting specific different cities at different latitudes, most of said cities being spaced different distances from the closest adjacent standard time zone boundaries, said member and said map having view-through portions situated adjacent said specific different cities, every view-through portion being adjacent a different city, a second member having a broad surface juxtaposed against the broad interior surface of the first member and visible through said view-through portions, means mounting said second member for movement with respect to said first member so that said broad surface of said second member can move with respect to the broad interior surface of the first member in an east-west direction with regard to the map, a twenty-four hour clock mechanism, and means coupling said mechanism to said second member, said second member having on said broad surface thereof plural like scaled elongated indicia bands of twenty-four hour time indicia, the longitudinal axes of said bands being disposed parallel to the direction of movement of said second member, said bands being spaced apart transversely of their longitudinal axes, each different band being registered with at least one different viewthrough portion and each of said view-through portions having a band registered therewith, each band having the time indicia associated therewith so oriented with respect to the time indicia of the other bands and to the associated view-through opening as to show by the time indicia of each such band the correct time for each city at the view-through opening immediately adjacent such city.

2. A clock comprising a member having a broad exterior surface and a broad interior surface, a map on said exterior surface, said map including representations of principal land and water areas and specific geographic designations denoting specific different cities at different latitudes, most of said cities being spaced different distances from the closest adjacent standard time zone boundaries, said member and said map having view-through portions situated adjacent said specific different cities, every view-through portion being adjacent a different city, a second member having a broad surface juxtaposed against the broad interior surface of the first member and visible through said view-through portions, means mountirig said second member for movement with respect to said first member so that said broad surface of said second member can move with respect to the broad interior surface of .the first member in an east-west direction with regard to the map, said second member having on said broad surface thereof plural like scaled elongated indicia bands of twenty-four hour time indicia, the longitudinal axes of said bands being disposed parallel to the direction of movement of said second member, said bands being spaced apart transversely of their longitudinal axes, each diflerent band being registered with at least one different view-through portion and each of said viewthrough portions having a band registered therewith, each band having the time indicia associated therewith so oriented with respect to the time indicia of the other bands and to the associated view-through opening as to show-by thetime indicia of each such band the-correct time for each city at the view-through opening immediately adjacent such .city.

References Cited in the fiie'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Krzeminski May 22, Fowler -..-Dec. 10, Boggs Sept. 29, Fish July 4, Beyer-i May 12,

FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland July 1, 

